Supertom and the Invisible Queen
by Phoenix Borealis
Summary: This is a songfiction I wrote shortly after seeing "Next to Normal" at The Fox theater. Jemima is feeling unloved by her family because her brother has special powers and gets all the attention. Sox is an O/C of mine invented for role playing.


Jemima stood in the windblown field, looking up at the silver-tipped, full moon. The stars had barely begun to shimmer and a light breeze rippled through the leaves of what little trees were there. She thought she was alone.

"There you are," sounded a familiar voice. It was Sox, a well known, well liked tom from the Junkyard. He was watching Jemima with calm eyes. Jemima knew him enough by now to know that behind his calm, matter-of-fact demeanor, he was probably worried about her. _That makes one of him_, she thought. Sox approached her, tail swishing quietly. "Jemima, what happened back there?"

"I...I...I don't know," she said weakly, ears sinking and head dropping, "I don't really want to talk about it."

"That's alright," Sox said flatly, putting a paw on her shoulder, "You don't have to talk if you don't want to."

Sox, of course, had been there when Jemima broke down in front of everybody and, in anger, started screaming at her parents and her brother, Pouncival. He knew why Jemima didn't want to talk. The soft-eyed tom sat down in the grass and patted the area beside him. Jemima just shook her head and began to walk toward the moon. Sox got up to follow her.

"Jemima, you can't just disappear like that all the time. You're going to get yourself into trouble."

Jemima sped up slightly, marching away. "No I won't," she said coarsely, tears threatening.

"Why do you say that?" Sox asked, speeding up to stay with her. Jemima spun around on him and hissed venomously.

"Because my parents don't care! Because my brother is more important to them than me! Because I could be dead for weeks before they ever even question where I am!" With this, she sighed and softened her voice. "Pouncival gets all the love and attention. Just because he can move things with his mind...He's a circus freak, and I'm the daughter that never was."

Sox approached her and put a gentle paw on her shoulder. "Jemima...I had no idea..."

Jemima hung her head and lowered her ears. "Yeah, well...Now you do."

Sox tilted his head to the side, trying to see her face. "I'm sure you mean more to Tugger and Bomba than you realize."

"Are you kidding?" Jemima turned away from Sox and looked up at the moon. Then she started to sing...

_Superboy and the Invisible Girl._  
><em>Son of Steel and Daughter of Air.<em>  
><em>He's a hero, a lover, a prince.<em>  
><em>She's not there.<em>

_Superboy and the invisible Girl._  
><em>Everything a kid oughta be.<em>  
><em>He's immortal. Forever alive.<em>

She turned to Sox, ears down.

_Then there's me._

Jemima turned to the silver moon again, imagining it as a bright, shining sun.

_I wish I could fly._  
><em>And magically appear and disappear.<em>

She smiled and reached up to the sun. In her mind, she saw a flock of birds flying over it.

_I wish I could fly._

The birds blocked out the sun and turned it back into the moon. Jemima's smile faded and she dropped her arms despairingly_. _She turned back to Sox, pain in her eyes.

_I'd fly far away from here._

Bombalurina, Tugger and Pouncival all wandered into the field looking for Jemima. Seeing her with Sox, they hid behind a tree and listened.

_Superboy and the Invisible Girl._  
><em>He's the one you wish would appear.<em>  
><em>He's your hero, your savior, your son.<em>

Jemima turned away from Sox and, in anger, cried out;

_He's not here._  
><em>I am here!<em>

Bomba stepped out from behind the tree and retorted;

_You know that's not true!_

Her eyes softened and she stepped forward.

_You're our little pride and joy._  
><em>Our perfect plan.<em>

She approached Jemima, pleading.

_You know I love you._

She reached out to her.

_I love you as much as I can..._

Bomba touched Jemima's arm, tears in her eyes. Jemima jerked away from her and turned to Sox. Bomba recoiled, sobbing once. Jemima spread her paws, gesturing to herself.

_Take a look at the Invisible Girl._  
><em>Here she is, clear as the day.<em>

Tugger and pouncival came up behind Bomba, watching Jemima with sad eyes. Jemima turned to face them.

_Please look closely and find her before_  
><em>She fades away.<em>

Pouncival realized that she was right. They had been neglecting Jemima because of him, and they were losing her. Showing her that he understood, and that he cared, Pouncival stood beside her and sang with her.

_Superboy and the Invisible Girl_  
><em>Son of Steel and Daughter of Air.<em>

He took her paws in his.

_He's a hero, a lover, a prince._

He hugged his sister close to him. Jemima continued.

_She's not there._

Then Pouncival joined in.

_She's not there._

Bomba stepped forward and joined the both of them, tears staining her face.

_She's not there._

Finally, Tugger joined in and they all finished;

_She's not there!_

"We're so sorry Jemima!" Tugger cried.

"We didn't know what we were doing!" Bomba added.

Pouncival kissed his sister's forehead, tears soaking into her headfur. "We'll never let you disappear again. We promise."

Jemima's heart swelled with emotion. She burst into tears and hugged her family. "I love you guys!"

Smiling, Sox walked off into the night and allowed the family to heal their wounds and become whole again.


End file.
